"The Genus Pinus" by George Russell Shaw
George R. Shaw was an American architect who, in retirement , became famous as a botanist. In this book, he discusses the pine tree and its different species. He describes these mighty plants, including their growing conditions and ideal environment. He was inspired upon seeing Mexican pines thriving in a vastly different climate than the climate of the pine trees he was used to seeing. This adaptability pushed him to study these trees in more detail.